Binh Thuan (VNA) – The south central province of Binh Thuan needs about 400 billion VND (16.7 million USD) to build embankments in areas hit by landslides and erosion, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phan Van Dang.
Speaking at a working session with a working delegation from the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on August 15, Dang said that the province is facing serious coastal erosion that has affected residential areas, economic zones, tourist areas and reservoirs.
Meanwhile, with current resources, the province finds it difficult to complete the works synchronously and in time.
Since the beginning of this year, the province suffered natural disasters such as tornadoes, lightning strikes, heavy rains, floods, landslides, and coastal erosion in localities ,including Bac Binh, Tuy Phong, and Phan Thiet.
The natural disasters claimed five lives and and 31 injuries, forced 21 households to relocate. Heavy rain and strong winds caused 347 houses to collapse, get unroofed, flooded, or damaged. More than 14,700 ha of agricultural production area, 15 fishing cages and 36 ha of traditional fish farming were damaged by rain and floods. The damage was estimated at more than 135 billion VND.
In the first seven months of 2023, 63 accidents and incidents occurred on the sea border area of the province, causing 15 deaths, nine missing, and six injured.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong, who led the working delegation to inspect natural disaster prevention and control in Binh Thuan province, highly appreciated the results and efforts of the province in implementing proactive solutions to prevent and control natural disasters, and conduct search and rescue and incident response at sea.
He said that in the coming time, the weather is forecasted to continue to be complicated, extreme and unpredictable, which requires Binh Thuan province to stay proactive in natural disaster prevention and control, and climate change adaptation.
The province needs to step up communication to raise awareness and skills in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue in the community, he said, adding that the province must pay attention to training and improving professional skills for rescue force, preparing forces, means, equipment and conditions to properly respond to incidents./.